HP DesignJet 5000/5500*, 5000 PS/5500 PS*

Note: The HP DesignJet 5500 series is very similar to the HP DesignJet 5000 series. The printheads and print quality are identical. The differences are refinements in the software, in web-based access, in the heater, and other features to enhance productivity. Please refer to the HP DesignJet 5000/5000 PS data on this page for general information and connectivity instructions.

Proofer Type | Process Plans | Connectivity | Performance | Usage | Limitations | Resources

Proofer Type

• Class 2 inkjet proofer
• Uses six colors for rendering – cyan, magenta, yellow, black, light cyan, light magenta
• Roll-fed; 42” or 60”
• Outputs at: 300 x 300 dpi, 600 x 600 dpi, and 600 x 1200 dpi (600 x 1200 dpi only available through BestRIP)
• This is HP's answer to the EPSON 9000 series. Expect customers to attempt to use this as a contract proofer, so set expectations accordingly. Customers must be informed that they have to arrange for color management services from Pre-Press Consultants, their own preferred dealer, or their consumables supplier.
• The 5000 PS model has an internal RIP designed to take PS and EPS files directly. It cannot be used from Prinergy, so customers should not buy it if they don't have another use for it. Recommendation would be to spend the extra money on a BestRIP instead.

Process Plans

The 5000 can be driven with HP-RTL spooled directly to the printer (Prinergy 2.0.7.19 and higher), or with Continuous Tone TIFF spooled to the BestRIP (version 4.2 or higher running on a Windows NT 4.0 or 2000 server).

If spooling HP-RTL directly to the DesignJet 5000, the following process plans can be used: Process plans for direct spool of HP-RTL to the HP 5000. Note that, in this case, a specific process plan setting is required: In the Render section, set Shades to 256. Output sent directly to the HP 5000 will not work without this setting, and this setting will not work with any other HP proofer.

Other recommended process plan settings are as follows:

	Resolution	Anti-aliasing	Print quality (on printer console)
High quality	600 x 600	No	High
Lower quality (faster)	300 x 300	Yes, at ratio 4	Productivity

Connectivity

If you are spooling HP-RTL directly to the HP5000, and if the printer is equipped with firmware version 2.10 or higher, you can output in one of two modes, selectable on the Render tab of the process plan:

• 1-Shade HP-RTL: allows you to control the screening method and linescreen via the Calibration and Screening tab.
• 256-Shade HP-RTL: outputs a continuous tone image to the printer, which the printer will then screen for output. Earlier firmware versions can only output in the 256-Shade mode.

If you are spooling Contone TIFF via the BestRIP and getting black output only through the BestRIP, check the RIP version. Only versions 4.2 or higher will work. Make sure the Windows NT hardware is robust enough to handle Continuous Tone TIFFs from Prinergy. The minimum hardware configuration is dual 733 Mhz, 7,000 RPM SCSI drives, and 768 MB RAM. The recommended hardware configuration is dual 933 Mhz or higher, 10,000 RPM SCSI drives, and 1 GB RAM.

Performance

This is a fast plotter, at least twice as fast as the EPSON 9000.

When spooling HP-RTL directly, the speed can be anywhere from 2-6 inches per minute, depending on selected resolution, print quality, width of media, and whether it is in uni- or bi-directional mode. (See the table in the Process Plans section for more information.)

When spooling Contone TIFF via the BestRIP, the speed can be anywhere from 2-3 inches per minute depending on resolution, print quality, width of media, and whether it is in uni- or bi-directional mode.

A throughput comparison was done using the Storyworks 8-up layout, with the printer settings set for the highest quality output (600 x 600 dpi, 8 pass). Total time is from clicking "Submit" in Prinergy until the paper was cut at the printer. Output in lower quality modes can be obtained in about half the time.

	Total Time	Printing Time
Direct Connectivity	18:39	11:25
BestRIP 4.2 on W2K	19:20	8:34

Usage

Very few in the field as of January 2001. However, this is the Hewlett Packard organization, so expect thousands to be sold by 2002.

Limitations

When outputting 1-Shade HP-RTL, the printer will only use the C, M, Y, and K channels. In order to output with all 6 colors, either the 256-Shade HP-RTL mode or BestRIP connectivity must be used.

Resources

• HP web site
• Prinergy and the Politics of Proofing: FAQ for Sales and Service on Incorporating 3rd Party Proofers